The vineyardGeographical location:The area covered by the appellation stretches over 27 communes in the Maine-et-Loire department along the Layon, a small tributary of the River Loire. It also includes 6 separate and distinct villages: Beaulieu-sur-Layon, Faye-d’Anjou, Rablay-sur-Layon, Rochefort-sur-Loire, Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné and Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay.

Surface area: Coteaux du Layon: roughly 1,400 hectares (3,500 acres); Coteaux du Layon villages: roughly 300 hectares (750 acres).History: Dutch traders were the driving force behind the development of the vineyards along the banks of the Layon from 1579, as the high alcohol content reached (16-17% vol.) and made these wines keep better when travelling. They were also more in keeping with the tastes of the Dutch clientele, while only their very high quality (and therefore their price) made them able to support the export duties imposed by Brittany. The selective multiple pass harvest of bunches infected with noble rot has been a reference since the 18th century.Types of soil: Terraces of schist and sandstone from the Armor bedrock, brown, shallow Black Anjou soils (outcrops of parent rock).Climate: Particularly dry and moderate oceanic type climate. The areas marked out by this AOC are in well-exposed and ventilated hillside locations that are good for stimulating early plant growth (microclimate in which Mediterranean plants grow) and enable the systematic harvest of over-ripened grapes.

The wine Annual production: Coteaux du Layon: roughly 39,000 hl, Coteaux du Layon villages: roughly 6,500 hlBasic yield: Coteaux du Layon: 35 hl/ha, Coteaux du Layon Villages: roughly 30 hl/haGrape varieties: Chenin Blanc (Pineau de Loire)Dominant growing practices: Density of 4,500 plants/ha. Double Guyot pruning to 2x3 nodes or gobelet (‘goblet’) pruning to 3x2 nodes.Technical constraints: Manual harvests carried out in multiple passes to selectively pick grapes that are over-ripened and present high concentration levels, whether or not due to the action of noble rot.TastingSensory characteristics: Intense appearance, yellow or with glints of green, turning to antique gold with hints of amber.Intense and complex nose of acacia honey mixed with hints of floral lemon balm and candied fruits (pineapple, apricot, quince). Long aromatic persistence sharpened by notes of fresh fruit. Full and round on the palate, sometimes creamy but always balanced with a straightforward and refreshing liveliness.Serving temperature: Decant and serve chilled to 8°C so that you can sense their development.Ageing potential: From 5 years to several decades and even as long as a century for the finest vintage years.